Control mechanism for motion-picture-projecting machines



July 24, 1923.

N. T. BURGESES CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22, 1920 4 She'ets-Sheet l July 24, 1923. 1,462,931

N. T. BURGESS CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTION PICTURE PROJEGTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22 1920 4 Sheecs-Sheeit 2 July 24, 1923 N. T. BURGESS CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 24, 1923;

N. T. BURGESS CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented July 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES NORMAN T. BURGESS, OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTION-PICTURE-PROJECTING MACHINES.

Application filed December 22, 1920. Serial No. 432,611.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, NORMAN T. BURGESS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Ana, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Control Mechanism for Motion-Picture-Projecting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motion picture projecting apparatus, wherein two projecting machines are employed. One of the machines is first operated so as to project its film strip and when the end of this film strip is reached, the first machine ceases to function and the second machine operates to project its film strip.

It is the object of the present invention to provide automatic means for stopping the first machine when the end of its film strip is reached and starting the second machine so that it will operate. The invention also contemplates the, provision of means whereby the automatic control may be reversed after the second machine has started to function in order that the automatic mechanism will stop the second machine when it reaches the end of its film strip and will start the operation of the first machine.

More particularly the invention is applicable to a projecting apparatus driven by electric motors, and the control'mechanism. includes electric circuits closed when the film strips are completely unwound and arranged to actuate a switch for cutting in .or-out the operating motors and lamps of the respective machines.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a projecting apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, and diagrammatically showing a part of the wiring system.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the a paratus. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the ine 33 of Fig. 2 through the reel of one of the projecting machines from which the film strip is unwound. I

' Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail sections on the lines 14, 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the main.

switch for the projecting apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same.

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail sections on the lines 9-9 and 1010 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a diagram of the wiring for the electric circuits of the apparatus.

. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have illustrated the projecting apparatus as comprising two projecting machines A and B positioned along side one another so that the machines may be alternately employed for projecting pictures as is usual invan apparatus 0 this character.

tric motor 10 actuates the mechanism with-- in casing 5 through a belt 11 and pulleys 12-13, and the reel within the lower film magazine is rotated by a driving connection from the mechanism within casing 5 which includes a belt 14 and pulleys 15-16.

The film strip 18 is unwound from the reel of the upper magazine and extends through the casing 5 so as to be wound upon the reel of the lower magazine. The parts as thus, described are of any preferred or well known construction and are adapted to function in usual manner.

The improved controlling mechanism includes a main switch mounted upon a base 20 between the projecting machines A and B, said switch being'automatically actuated when the film strip has been completely unwound from the upper reel of one projecting machine so as to shut off electrical current to that machine for stopping the same,

and at the same time closing the circuits through the other machine so that it will start. This operation is repeated at the end of the film carried by each ma.- chine so that the other machine will be automatically started for continuously projecting a picture.

The main switch is a three blade switch having the blades pivoted intermediate of their ends as shown at 21. The blades projecting from opposite sides of the pivots 21 are angularly disposed with relation to one another so that when the blades 24: at one side of the pivots are received in cooperating contact clips 22, the blades 25 at the other side of the pivots are swung upwardly out of engagement with their co-operating contact clips 23. It will be understood that blades 24 and blades 25 are each joined by cross bars 35 so that each of these sets of blades will function dependently. In similar manner when blades 25 make contact with their clips '23, the blades 24 are swung upwardly from their clips 22. The-clips 22 are in the circuits for one of the projecting machines and the clips 23 are in. the circuits for the other projecting machine, and as a result when .the circuits through one machine are closed for operating the same, the circuits through the other machine are opened so that the latter will not function.

Manually actuated means are provided for causing whichever set of blades are out of contact to be yieldably urged toward their co-operating clips, and a link connection is provided for holding said blades out of corn tact against the yieldable urging means until the end of the film carried by the machine controlled by the other blades, is reached,-

when the link connection is automatically collapsed to swing the blades controlled thereby into contact with their clips, and at the same time disengage the other blades from their clips.

As an instance of thisar-rangement one of the blades 24-25 is provided with a plate 26 connecting the ends of said blade, andan arcute slot 27 is provided therein. A hand lever 28 is journaled uponthe pivot pin 21 for this set of blades, and the handle is provided with a projecting pin 29 received in slot 27. A coil spring 30 is 'connected at one end to base 20 below pivot 21, and at its opposite end is connected to the pin 29 of the hand lever.

By this arrangement it will be seen that when hand lever 28 is swung to one or the other of the ends of slot 27 the spring 30 will be so positioned that the tension thereof will tend to' swing the switch blades upon their pivots 21 so as to either cause blades 25 tomake contact with their clips, or make blades- 24 contact'with their clips. One of the blades of those out of contact with their clips is pivotally connected to 'a link 31 which at its opposite endis pivotally connected to base 20. The link is hinged intermediate of its ends as shown at 32, and a plate 33 fixed to one of the hinged sections is received over the hinged joint when the link is extended so that the link is held in extended position for forming a support adapted to hold the blade to which it is connected out of engagement with its contact clip against the tension of spring 30. It will thus be seen that the blades 25 may be held out of contact with their clips, while blades 24 engage their clips or by collapsing the link 31 co-operating ,with blades 25, the latter will be-automatically moved into engagement with their clips, and at the same time the blades 24'will be moved out of engagement with their clips.

solenoid 36 is mounted'upon base 20 for cooperation with each of the plates 33. The solenoids are so arranged that when one or the other is energized, the plate 33 adjacent th'eretoJwTill' be drawn towards the solenoid andthereby break the hinged joint of link 31 to cause collapsing of the link.

As a result the. blades held out of engage "ment with their" c ontact clips by the link connection will .be drawn into engagement described, the motor and lamp for'one ma chine will be placed in operation as the circuits through the motor and lamp of the other machine are broken, and as a consequence the projecting machines are adapted to alternately function.

The solenoids 36 are energized as the film strips of the respective projecting machines are completely unwound from the upper film magazines of the machines. By this arrangement one machine'will stop and the other machine will start when the end of the film of the first machine is reached.

The mechanism for thus energizing the respective solenoids includes a switch in the circuit through a solenoid, mounted upon the upper magazine of one of the projecting machines, and operating mechanism carried by the reel within the upper magazine arranged to close this switch when the film I is unwound from the reel.

The switch upon the film magazine may be housed within a casing 38 having a hinged top 39. The switch includes a contact arm 40 fixed to a rod 41 journaled in the film magazine casing and extending within the same. The swinging end of arm 40 carries a contact 41 adapted to engage a fixed contact 42 for completing the circuit through one of the solenoids 36. Within the film magazine casing an arm 43 depends from rod 41, and is adapted to be engaged by operating means carried by the film reel when the latteris rotated for rocking rod 41 and thus closing the circuit at the contact 41-'42.

The operating means adapted to engage arm 43 comprises a clip 45 received upon the hub 47 of the film reel 48. This clip is adapted to be retracted so as not to engage arm 43 nected to clip 45 as shown at 52-so that'wh'en the clip is released it will be moved outwardly into operative position for engaging arm 43.

The clip is normally held retracted within the film reel by the film strip 18 engaging the same. As an instance of this arrangement the clip is provided with a radially extending end 53 which when the film strip is wound upon the film reel will be engaged by said strip so as to prevent movement of the clip into operative position.' As soon however, as the film strip has been completely unwound the clip is free to be projected into operative position, and as a result the con tacts 41 42 are closed as soon as the film strip is unwound.

The closing of these contacts will energize solenoid 36 for operating the main switch of the apparatus, and as a consequence the machine from which the film strip has been unwound will be stopped and the other ma chine will be started. This operation may be repeated each time the film strip is completely unwound from a machine, it being only necessary to swing hand lever 28 from one position to the other between operation of the automatic control.

Means are preferably provided for manually controlling the starting and stopping of the respective machines so that the machine which is in operation may be changed before the end of a reel is reached. For this purpose a manually controlled switch 1-0 is arranged in parallel in the circuit of each of the A automatic switches as just described. Switches shown as push buttons, are preferably mounted on the back of base 20. The wiring for the apparatus as thus described will be readily understood from the diagram shown in Fig. 11. A source of electrical energy is connected by wires 5556 to two of the pivots 21 of the-main switch. The arcs 87 are connected by wires 5758 and 5758 to two of the contact clips of switches 2425, so that when the main switch is thrown one or the other of the arcs will be lighted.

A wire 59 extends from a source of electrical energy to the third pivot of the main switch, and the other side of the circuit including this wire is formed by a wire 60 leading from the source of electrical energy to one of the motors 10, the circuit throngwhich is completed by a wire 61 leading to the third contact clip of one of the switches 24-25. Wire 60 also leads to one terminal of thcsecond motor 10, the circuit through which is completed by awire 61 leading to the third contact clip of the other of switches 2425.

The solenoids 36 are in circuits completed by wires 62 and 62 leading to the third pivot of the main switch, and wires 63 and 63 leading to contacts 42. The swinging contact arms 40 are electrically connected to wire 60, and push buttons 40 are connected to wire 60 and wires 6363. Tt will of course be understood that the solenoid 36 cooperating with the switch blades adapted to close the circuits through one machine is connected to the film magazine of the other machine.

Solenoids 65 are providedfor the respective arcs, and are connected by wires 6667 and 666T to the motor circuits, so that when either motor is started the solenoid for the arc of that machine will be energized.

A circuit breaker 68 is arranged in each circuit through the solenoid 65, so that when a solenoid has been energized and the mechanism for an arc starts to operate, the circuit through the solenoid will be automatically broken. Each solenoid controls a latch 70, which holds an actuating arm 71 against the action of an operating spring 72 until released. The movable member of the circuit breaker is carried by arm 71. The movement or arm 71 causes a catch 71 upon the same to engage the supporting rack 73 of one of the electrodes of the are, so as to move the electrodes apart and thereby light the are as current is supplied to the electrodes of the same.

The construction as thus set forth provides ready means whereby a motion picture projecting apparatus may be automatically controlled in order to continuously exhibit a picture, one machine starting as soon as the film is unwound from the other machine and the latter machine also stopping as soon as its film is unwound.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

-il liat is claimed is:

1. A motion picture projecting apparatus comprising projecting machines arranged to alternately function, each machine lncludm a rotatablereel having a film strip woun thereon, an electric motor for said reel, elcclight and filni, means for actuating the electrodes of said lights to illuminate or ex guish the lights, and means for contro h g the supply of current to the motors, and actuating means in such manner the film, light and motor of one machine are rendered active when the desired length of film of another machine has been projected, and the corresponding elements of the other machine rendered inactive when the first machine is rendered active.

' member Wound thereon,

3. The combination with a reel having a of an electric switchincluding a contact arm, a clip upon said reel, means for urging said clip into po sition for actuating said contact arm for operating said switch, said clip comprising a longitudinal slidable member adapted to engage said arm, and means controlled by said Wound member for holding said member out of engagement with said arm until said member is unwound from said reel.

4. The combination with a reel having a member Wound thereon, of an electric switch including a contact arm, a clip upon said reel, means for urgin said clip into position for actuating said contact arm for op erating said switch, said clip comprising a longitudinal slidable member adapted to engage said arm, a portion extending from said member and adapted to engage said Wound member for preventing engagement with said arm until said member is unwound from said reel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

NORMAN T. BURGESS. 

